In a Virginia suburb, tensions are rising as residents express their discontent over a neighbor’s ambitious home renovation. The construction of a three-story extension, described by some as an eyesore, has sparked debate in the community.
On Marble Lane in Fairfax, a family is expanding their home with a towering addition designed to accommodate three generations under one roof. While some locals understand the family’s intentions, others are frustrated—not with the family, but with county officials for permitting the project.
Courtney Leonard, who lives adjacent to the construction site, voiced her concerns to the Daily Mail. “I’ve been in contact with the county since the start of October, sharing my worries about this addition,” she said. “It’s important to emphasize that we hold the county responsible for allowing this to progress so far.”
Leonard highlighted that the neighborhood is classified as a ‘cluster zone,’ a designation that permits the construction of large structures on relatively small plots of land.
She further expressed that it was both surprising and troubling to the neighborhood that the family’s renovation plans received approval from the county authorities.
The disgruntled local added that it was a ‘shock’ and ‘a concern for everyone in our neighborhood’ that the family was able to get their renovation plans passed and approved by the county.
She also explained that she was concerned about the construction reducing the light reaching her house, impacting the electricity yield from her solar panels, as well as the ability of her neighbors to see over her privacy fence from the higher stories and the potential impact all this could have on her property value.
‘When I decide to sell my house, how much of the buyer portion did I just cut out, just knowing that they have to live next to that?’ Leonard said.
This three-story addition to a house in a suburban neighborhood has left neighbors outraged
Courtney Leonard lives next door to the structure and has shared her frustrations publicly
The building is on Marble Lane in Fairfax, Virginia
‘For me, it would be an immediate no. I would never live next to a structure like that. So I am concerned about my investment in my house. One of the main purposes of county zoning and permitting is to protect people’s property values, and that seems like it was a big miss here.’
Leonard previously told FOX5 Washington DC: ‘Design-wise, it doesn’t look anything like what its attached to or anything else in the neighborhood.’
She also said that there is no homeowner’s association in the neighborhood, which means there are no rules or regulations on the way houses must appear or fit in with the surrounding aesthetics of the area.
Leonard added that according to local zoning laws, the family is ‘well within their rights’ to build the structure, which only increased her frustration.
‘There’s really nothing I can do about it,’ she said.
The family building the structure said they had nothing to add to the story and declined to speak further with FOX5. They also did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Although she acknowledged that her neighbors were technically allowed to build the three-story addition, Leonard complained that she was given no notice prior to construction.
She said that she has not spoken to her neighbors since they began the renovation, but she also emphasized to the Daily Mail: ‘I really wish them no ill-will. I felt like an a**h*** for even bringing this up to begin with, but I felt like I had to notify the county.
‘I don’t want them to have to go through any financial hardship by making a change here, but I also should have some rights in this whole situation as well.’
Pat Herrity, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has promised to propose an amendment to the local zoning laws at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday
Katie Dash, a resident who lives a few blocks away, also shared her frustrations
Locals say the family building the addition to their home are planning on housing three generations of their family
Construction has been paused, because Fairfax County staff have said the structure is currently too close to Leonard’s property line
Another resident named Katie Dash, who lives just a few blocks away, also shared her frustration.
‘It feels like it’s not real when you see it. I mean you’ve seen it, so yeah, it’s shocking,’ she said before questioning how the structure is acceptable according to zoning laws.
Dash said she was worried about other people in the neighborhood making similar modifications to their homes now that it is clear they are allowed to do so.
‘If it could happen to [Leonard], it could happen to any of us,’ she said.
The zoning law question is at the core of unhappy residents’ gripes. Pat Herrity, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, visited the construction site and has promised to propose an amendment to the zoning laws at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday.
‘It clearly does not belong in our suburban neighborhoods – a structure like that – eight and a half feet from the property line, three stories tall for the length of the lot,’ Herrity said.
‘It has no place, and we need to fix our zoning ordinance to make sure that doesn’t happen again.’
But changing the zoning laws may not be necessary to stop construction of the new building. Fairfax County staff have said that although the structure falls within zoning guidelines for height, it is currently too close to Leonard’s property line.
As a result, construction has been placed on hold. It is unclear what the family building the structure will do to address that roadblock.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Pat Herrity for comment and additional details.
